Most reliable family cars to buy 2025
These are the most reliable family cars you can buy, according to our Driver Power survey
The last thing anyone wants is to be stranded at the roadside with a car full of increasingly restless kids. While no car is guaranteed to not break down, choosing one of the most reliable family cars will certainly improve your odds of a stress-free ownership experience.
Of course, it’s very difficult to tell which cars will actually be reliable without living with them first, so we’ve rounded up the most reliable family cars according to data from the latest edition of Driver Power - the UK's biggest car customer satisfaction survey.
By using the results from our Driver Power survey we can provide insight into the real-world reliability of new family cars that is unmatched elsewhere because it comes directly from people who actually own these vehicles. Our list of the most reliable family cars should help you decide which car to go for next.
Top 10 most reliable family cars
| Model | Generation (years produced) | Driver Power reliability score |
| Vauxhall Grandland | Mk1 (2019-date) | 95.74% |
| Mercedes GLE | Mk4 (2017-2024) | 94.56% |
| Vauxhall Crossland | Mk1 (2017-2024) | 93.88% |
| Vauxhall Astra | Mk8 (2021-date) | 95.59% |
| Ford Kuga | Mk3 (2020-date) | 93.06% |
| Dacia Duster | Mk2 (2018-2024) | 92.35% |
| Honda Civic | Mk11 (2022-date) | 92.31% |
| Mercedes A-Class | Mk4 (2018-date) | 92.17% |
| Toyota Corolla | Mk12 (2019-date) | 91.88% |
| BMW 1 Series | Mk3 (2019-2025) | 91.75% |
Read on to see the 10 most reliable family cars, according to the people who own them. You can also use the links in the table above to jump to a specific model
1. Vauxhall Grandland Mk1 - 95.74%
While you may have been expecting a Japanese or German car at the top of this list — and we wouldn’t blame you for doing so — the original Vauxhall Grandland is just one of several Vauxhalls to make it into this top 10. Grandland owners have been so impressed with this model that they also voted it as the best mid-size SUV as well as the second-best car to own overall in our 2025 Driver Power survey. It would appear that this is a car for the fashion-conscious, too, as the Grandland also bagged a first-place finish for its exterior styling
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2. Mercedes GLE Mk4 - 94.56%
If your family has a penchant for luxury, they’ll be pleased to know that you can pick up a premium SUV without sacrificing dependability. Still not enough good news? Well there’s also the fact that the Mercedes GLE Mk4 was ranked as the best car to own, according to our 2025 Driver Power Survey. Aside from its typically upmarket running costs, the GLE scored consistently high across the board, with owners also praising areas such as performance, value for money, build quality and tech
3. Vauxhall Crossland Mk1 - 93.88%
If the Vauxhall Grandland is a tad too large for your tastes, its smaller sibling, the Vauxhall Crossland, really isn’t too far behind in the reliability stakes. Regardless of its more compact stature, the Crossland’s carefully thought-out cabin still offers a strong level of practicality, and Vauxhall hasn’t been shy with the standard on-board kit. This Vauxhall’s family car credentials have been backed up by owners, too, as they placed its child-friendly features, boot space and seating versatility all within the top 10
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4. Vauxhall Astra Mk8 - 93.59%
Plenty of family car buyers have flocked to SUVs, but if you’d rather stick with a good old-fashioned hatchback or estate car, the long-serving Astra is yet another Vauxhall that should prove stress-free to live with. Now in its eight generation, the latest Vauxhall Astra was actually voted as the best family car to own overall by the people who do. If you’re worried that buying a sensible car means sacrificing driving fun, think again, as this spacious machine also scored an incredible first place in the ride and handling category
5. Ford Kuga Mk3 - 93.06%
While the Ford Puma might get more attention as one of the nation’s best-selling cars, the larger Ford Kuga is also deserving of its share of praise. With steadily high scores in the practicality, safety and interior categories of Driver Power, there’s little doubting this SUV’s family-carrying credentials. As is often the case with Fords, owners also praised the level of driver engagement that the Kuga offers, partly thanks to it sharing the same platform as the Focus hatchback
6. Dacia Duster Mk2 - 92.35%
In the not too distant past, buying one of the cheapest cars on sale may have instilled a slight fear of inevitable and catastrophic mechanical failure as soon as the warranty was up. However, those days are well and truly behind us as the humble yet tough Dacia Duster continues to prove itself as a dependable yet dirt cheap workhorse. While it unsurprisingly doesn’t win any awards for the level of luxury on offer, it more than makes up for this by offering the very best value for money of any car in our 2025 Driver Power survey. Affordable insurance and servicing as well as strong fuel economy are also very welcome sights because, let’s face it, families don’t come cheap
7. Honda Civic Mk11 - 92.31%
The lack of a Japanese car at the top of this list probably came as a surprise, but the traditional reliability stalwarts aren’t out of the running. Thanks to the latest model’s hybrid powertrain, owners rated the Honda Civic’s running costs highly enough to land it a third place finish in this category. Cabin features, quality and practicality also ranked within the top 10, but you’ll need to look towards the Civic Type R if you want a fun (albeit much more expensive) driving experience
8. Mercedes A-Class Mk4 - 92.17%
It’s a double-whammy for Mercedes as the A-Class also bags a top-10 finish on this list. It may be the brand’s smallest model, but this prestige hatchback has a pretty strong number of top-10 scores under its belt. Owners were particularly pleased with the blend between physical and touchscreen controls, along with the ride quality and interior build quality. Perhaps most importantly for anyone considering the A-Class as their next family car, though, safety features finished in a respectable sixth place
9. Toyota Corolla Mk12 - 91.88%
Few people put their cars under more daily strain than cab drivers, and the Mk12 Toyota Corolla has become a very common sight on taxi ranks across the country. If this isn’t enough testament to the Corolla’s reliability, its ninth place finish on this list should certainly seal the deal. Along with its durability, Corolla owners are also highly satisfied with its handling, drivetrain smoothness and ride quality
10. BMW 1 Series Mk3 - 91.75%
The BMW 1 Series is a consistently strong seller in the UK, so there are plenty of people out there putting it to the real-world test in a variety of different situations. It’d appear that this premium hatchback is holding up well for the most part, too. Reliability is clearly taken care of, and there’s more good news as owners are also highly satisfied with the 1 Series’ quality and design. There’s also plenty of driving pleasure to be found, just as we’d expect from a BMW, so the 1 Series is clearly living up to its badge.
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